The NASCAR Cup Series Is Going Back To Dirt In 2021

It hasn’t happened since 1970, and back then it was called Grand National. Richard Petty won the last dirt oval race in NASCAR’s top-flight class at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.

But now, the Cup series has announced it’s bringing dirt back to the oval racing series. Bristol Motor Speedway will be filled with 15,000 truckloads of dirt taking over the traditionally concrete track.

If you’re thinking you’ve seen dirt at Bristol before, you’d be right. However, the concrete was covered in clay for World of Outlaws and support races in 2000 and 2001, but never for NASCAR’s top series.

Here’s a look at the full tentative 2021 schedule, which includes several race date changes:

Feb. 14 – Daytona 500
Feb. 21 – Homestead-Miami Speedway
Feb. 28 – Auto Club Speedway
March 7 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 14 – Phoenix Raceway
March 21 – Atlanta Motor Speedway
March 28 – Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Layout
April 10 – Martinsville Speedway
April 18 – Richmond Raceway
April 25 – Talladega Superspeedway
May 2 – Kansas Speedway
May 9 – Darlington Raceway
May 16 – Dover International Speedway
May 23 – Circuit of the Americas
May 30 – Charlotte Motor Speedway
June 6 – Sonoma Raceway
June 13 – All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway
June 20 – Nashville Superspeedway
June 26-27 – Pocono Raceway doubleheader
July 4 – Road America
July 11 – Atlanta Motor Speedway
July 18 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Aug. 8 – Watkins Glen International
Aug. 15 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
Aug. 22 – Michigan International Speedway
Aug. 28 – Daytona International Speedway
Sept. 5 – Darlington Raceway
Sept. 11 – Richmond Raceway
Sept. 18 – Bristol Motor Speedway
Sept. 26 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Oct. 3 – Talladega Superspeedway
Oct. 10 – Charlotte Roval
Oct. 17 – Texas Motor Speedway
Oct. 24 – Kansas Speedway
Oct. 31 – Martinsville Speedway
Nov. 7 – Phoenix Raceway